|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Monsanto Walden Woods!??   That's right, in a new move spearheaded by the great state of Massachusetts, plans are now afoot to sell the rights to the names of our parks, forests, and historical sites to those poetry-and-beauty killing, nomenclaturely-speaking, corporate "sponsors". Prudential Boston Commons!?? Daimler-Chrysler Plymouth Rock?!! Enough is enough! This is madness. Stop it! Here's the story: http://edition.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/09/sponsoring.parks.ap/
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Budget crises abound, Juan. Gotta get the money from somewhere. Want another property tax increase?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
the problem: the money is available, we're just spending it on the wrong things... 
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,661 |
we're just spending it on the wrong things...Actually® a *certain number of US'ns are voting for the wrong people.  --------------------- Trickle down, my ass! Wait, that didn't come out right...
I mean...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
certain numberyou mean, like less than 50%? [like double wink, that's not political, no, just a remark, ] <white alert> the trickle down comment gave me a frightening visual. 
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Budget crises abound, Juan. Gotta get the money from somewhere. Want another property tax increase?Is this a prime example of a USn using Brit irony, Faldo? I hope And, folks, please let it be known I posted this as a word-related issue, as per the change of the names of venues and places like "The Garden State Arts Center", a joy to say and a bit of poetry within itself really, to the garrolous and grotesque, PNC Arts Center. This has been happening to stadiums and venues across the board for years, and has really cheapened our language and history as far as naming is concerned, IMO. And to now introduce this into the names of parks, forests, and monuments (can lakes and rivers be far behind?...Ford Lake Michigan? PSE&G Delaware River?) is just repugnant to me. Not to mention that Tiger Woods is a living billboard for Nike. The dehumanizing claw of corporate greed seems to be increasingly all that matters. Even in lieu of the poetry and beauty of the names we bestow on cherished natural and historic places and landmarks. As our language becomes increasingly infected with corporate sloganeering will we soon lose any sense of heritage, both linguistically and historically? Doesn't matter how the name sounds, just how much they pay you for it.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,088 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,088 Likes: 2 |
Believe it or not, MAD Magazine had a two-page spread on exactly this subject within the last couple of months.
Tom Lehrer, ca. 1960:
"It doesn't matter how sincere it
Is or how heartfelt the spirit
Sentiment will not endear it
What's important is -- the price!"
Autre temps, meme moeurs*
Is that the same thing as "SSDD"?
*translation: "Other times, same customs" (an ironic paraphrase of the French saying "Autre temps, autre moeurs," which is "Other times, other customs," roughly meaning we didn't used to do things this way.)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
Irony? Moi?
While many of these names are a little rough on the ear, there are some which raise no hackles at all for me. Frontier Field, home of the Rochester Red Wings comes to mind and we should remember that Wrigley Field could easily be considered a corporate name.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
yeah. if only. then we wouldn't be selling our forests...
formerly known as etaoin...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
This isn't about stadiums, Faldage, that was already conceded. This is about moving on to parks, forests, and historic landmarks...surely you can't be saying you have no problem with that?...how 'bout the Allied Chemical Adirondacks?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
parks, forests, and historic landmarks
You're right, Juan. I much prefer higher property taxes.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247
enthusiast
|
|
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247 |
"Other times, same customs" (an ironic paraphrase of the French saying "Autre temps, autre moeurs,"
Interesting comparison, wof, but would that be a 'revealing juxtaposition' rather than an 'ironic paraphrase'?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247
enthusiast
|
|
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 247 |
This isn't about stadiums ... This is about moving on to parks, forests, and historic landmarks
Right on, W'ON!
DaimlerChrysler transformed a nameless stretch of railway, blighted with weeds and litter, into "the DaimlerChrysler Bikeway". Hurrah!
Comerica relocated dangerous, decomposing Tiger Stadium to downtown Detroit where, as Comerica Park, it anchors new development where none could have taken root before. Hurrah!
If corporate America can figure out a way to improve on Mother Nature in our legacy forests and parks, let them put their name on it. Otherwise, "hands off".
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed with a Miller Lite gleaming?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Let's see:
The Viagra Washington Monument (don't forget to go through the two geodesic dome visitors centers recently added.)
The Sheik Condoms Great Barrier Reef.
The Lincoln Navigator Memorial.
The Caterpillar Earth Mover Grand Canyon.
The Playboy Magazine Grand Tetons.
St. Louis's McDonalds Gateway Arch (no longer silver!)
Grant's Tomb Raider.
Arch de Triomphe Spitfire.
Grand Central Home Depot.
1600 Pennsylvania State Motor Oil (formerly Quaker State)
The B'Nai Brith Yosemite National Park (think new hyphenation here)
Stonedhenge Drug Cartel.
The Houses of Parliament Cigarettes
Thames Antacids.
The Cliffs of Mohair.
Saran Wrap Islands.
Outer Bank of America.
The Rock of Cashew Nuts.
The Outback of Notre Dame.
Burger King of Prussia, PA.
Brooklyn Bridge Loan Corporation.
United States Capitol Credit Corporation.
Westinghouse Point.
R&F Spaghettisburg National Battlefield
Bunker Hills Brothers Coffee.
Hudson's Bay Rum.
The Pyramid Schemes of Gaza.
The U-Haul Van Gogh Museum.
Louvre Brothers Soap.
Queen Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics (hey SHE'S a monument!)
Stratford upon Avon Cosmetics.
10 Downing Street Performers.
I have GOT to stop this. I have a house to clean!!!
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Oh, Ted! Oh, Ted!! How can you DO this??? Oh, ha, ha, HA!!!! You know, you might wanna copyright these--they're that good. (Aside to the rest of you -- [whisper] I think I'm gonna copy 'em and send 'em to people before he gets around to it. [/whisper])
|
|
|
|
|
